Artichoke Crab Cakes with Sriracha Tartar Sauce

This post has been a long time coming, and I am so glad that it’s finally happening! I was so excited when I learned about Kristy Turner, of Keepin’ It Kind, writing her first cookbook and it has been out for a couple of months now. If you haven’t seen it yet, PLEASE take a look at But I Could Never Go Vegan!.

This cookbook is filled with clever chapter subjects, like “I could never give up cheese”, “It’s all rabbit food”, and “wait, is chocolate vegan?”; all excuses and phrases that I’ve heard more times than I can count. Kristy makes sure to go over each excuse and give you a few awesome recipes that completely obliterate the notion that it’s hard to go vegan.

Not only do these recipes sound incredible, there are SO many gorgeous and vibrant photos in this book, all taken by Kristy’s awesome husband Chris. I won’t lie, I may be a little biased, as Kristy and Chris are two truly wonderful people and are friends of mine. This does not lessen the fact that they make a great team when it comes to Keepin’ It Kind and I am so glad to know them!

Back to the food: I had a really hard time choosing which recipe I wanted to showcase from this book because seriously, there are so many amazing-looking dishes. But, I’m into casual eats, and my mom likes seafood-ish type things so the crab cakes sounded pretty easy and definitely tasty. The ingredients are easy-to-find, the process of making them was easy (even if I added too much oil to the pan at first), and they were tasty to all that tried them!

Kristy and her publisher were kind enough to not only share the recipe with you, but also to give you a chance to win a copy of her cookbook! (US residents only, please) So, go ahead and make these super delicious crab cakes and enter the giveaway at the end of the post!

Flaky, soft, briny. No, I’m not talking about crab; I’m talking about artichoke hearts, silly! Those three traits were the main reason I decided to use artichoke hearts as the base for recreating vegan crab cakes. Old Bay Seasoning brings that classic Chesapeake Bay flavor (always a great ingredient for seafood-inspired dishes), and vegan mayonnaise works as a binder so you don’t need eggs. They’re quickly pan-fried and served with a hot and tangy sriracha tartar sauce for a quick, unforgettable meal that will make you happy to leave the crabs under the sea.

Ingredients

sriracha tartar sauce

½ cup (110 g) vegan mayonnaise

1 to 2 tablespoons sriracha

1 tablespoon juice from a jar of capers

1 tablespoon lemon juice

artichoke crab cakes

1 cup (53 g) oyster crackers or crushed saltine crackers

Two 15-ounce (425 g) cans artichoke hearts, rinsed and drained well

3 to 4 scallions, finely chopped, plus more for garnish

¼ cup (35 g) finely diced red bell pepper

¼ cup (35 g) corn kernels (fresh or defrosted if frozen)

2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning

½ teaspoon kelp granules, optional

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon dried parsley

¼ cup (55 g) vegan mayonnaise

Salt and black pepper to taste

Canola oil for frying

Instructions

In a small bowl, whisk together the Sriracha Tartar Sauce ingredients. Chill until ready to use.

Place the oyster crackers in a food processor and process into the consistency of coarse flour with small chunks. Set aside in a small bowl.

Place the artichoke hearts in a food processor and pulse 6 to 7 times, until broken up but still chunky. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the scallions, red bell pepper, corn kernels, Old Bay, kelp granules, garlic powder, dried parsley, mayonnaise, and salt and pepper. Stir in the oyster cracker “flour.”

Use a ¼-cup (60 ml) measuring cup to scoop out the artichoke mixture. Using your hands, shape patties and place on a plate.

Set a large frying pan, preferably cast iron, over medium heat. Pour in enough oil to coat the bottom and heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Line a plate with paper towels.

Place 3 to 4 patties in the pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until crisp and browned all over. Place on the plate with more paper towels on top to absorb the excess oil. Repeat with the remaining patties, adding more oil as necessary, until all are cooked. Serve topped with the Sriracha Tartar Sauce and remaining scallions.

Notes

»» If you do not wish to fry the fritters, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C), line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, and lightly spray with olive oil. Spread the patties on the prepared sheet and lightly spray with olive oil. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until firm and golden, flipping once halfway through to ensure even cooking.

Heard Most: “I couldn’t live without cheese.” I said it the most. It took me a long time to accept that cold hard cheddar was no longer going to be a part of my life. But I am glad I did, it expanded my horizons of what I now eat, which is obviously a very good thing.

But these ‘choke cakes are killing me. Beautiful. I can taste them now. They will be made. Soon. Perfect recipe and I love the caper brine being used! YES. YUM.

I am always looking for new ways to get my family to eat Vegan and like it, too. These “Crab Cakes” look amazing! I am Vegan, but have a hard time convincing some of the family members that the food is good and that I feel so much better for it. Would LOVE to win a copy! Thanks for the chance!

Most people give the excuse “But I just couldn’t live without…” This recipe proves otherwise. I had the hardest time giving up seafood, and I’m still trying to find vegan versions of my favorite dishes. It definitely helps that I love to cook, haha. My favorite line for people who ask how I get my protein is “How does a gorilla get his protein?”

I think you’d also be interested in checking out Ingredients for Change on Facebook for plant-based recipes and my videos on Youtube: http://youtu.be/TFCznK9GnHc Please do check it out, I have a feeling you might like it!

My 15 year old has been vegan for almost a year now. I made these last night for dinner and they were the BEST vegan thing I’ve ever made! My carnivore husband didn’t even know they were vegan. I will be making these frequently!

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Welcome to this vegan food blog, run by Jackie Sobon, which covers everything from indulgent desserts, to healthy dinners, and even raw recipes! I also write up restaurant reviews and am sort of a beer snob. You'll find that there is something for everyone, here!

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